ZX Spectrum 1-bit music: Agent X (Tim Follin, 1985)
Why Hacker News recommends it
Cited as the prime example of what clever programming can do with a 1-bit audio output.
What it is
A recording from real hardware of Tim Follin's multichannel 1-bit music for Agent X on the ZX Spectrum. It shows several voices coaxed out of the single-bit beeper.
Recommended by 3 HN commenters across 3 different months, 2015 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec JetSetIlly · 2026-05 · on “Playing Atari ST Music on the Amiga with Zero CPU”
> Well, that and the fact that after the 48K beeper the 128K was never going to sound less than incredible Some of the stuff people do with the 48k beeper is incredible though. Tim Follin's tunes for example are basically treating the beeper like a 1-bit DAC, with amazing results. [this video]
Recommends zimpenfish · 2015-05 · on “A Pixel Artist Renounces Pixel Art”
Check out Tim Follin's N-channels-through-1-bit on the Spectrum's piezo-electric buzzer. [this video] (AgentX) [LINK] (AgentX II)
Recommends mdp2021 · 2024-09 · on “Furnace – the biggest multi-system chiptune tracker ever made”
> even the ZX Spectrum beeper is supported You know what we can do with 1-bit music, right? I.e. Tim Follin's Agent X ( [this video] ) or Agent X II ( [LINK] ) or Chronos ( [LINK] ) or Raw Recruit ( [LINK] ) or Future Games ( [LINK] )... A modern attempt, the ON and OFF album by Rich 'Tufty' Hollins ( [LINK] )